Sith's Disneyland getaway

I'm in the last few days of a California getaway that took us through Disneyland for five days. This is our second trip to the original house of Mouse. Certainly there are several things that are just Fantastic. Disneyland is the master of using it's space to the maximum. Many of the things I found charming about it three years ago remain the same now. This trip was slightly different because the crowds were consistantly higher making navigation tricky. I will do a more direct comparison later, but did want to point out that Star Tours on the west coast is just as busy as it is on the east coast. There is no doubt, our (the Florida version) is a much better set up. Bigger queue, more space allowing for much more detail. The local advertisement for the opening of Star Tours at Disneyland was priceless and there is no doubt that the people out here are passionate about it. I've seen more Star Wars shirts and such here than just about anywhere shy of a Star Wars convention. Very cool. The wait time was never short of 50 minutes and usually well over during our entire visit. Not really a shock. In comparison though, the thumbs up on this goes to the Studios. Disneyland simply can't compete with the space (pun sort of intended) issue and is limited as a result. That said it seems to me that the crowd here is slightly more enthusiastic.

Anyway, I do plan to run more of an overall comparison shortly. For what Disneyland has in terms of space they do a masterful job. That said, I'm looking forward to my October WDW vacation!

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The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be ...unnatural.

Yeah, after you've waited in the WDW Star Tours queue, the one out here seems laughably small. There isn't really even enough room for the people in one row to line up without overlapping the other lines. Once inside however, it's pretty much identical.

Agreed, except I do like the end at Studios where you exit through Tattoine Traders. I'll give Studios the thumbs up there too.

What they do with their Fantasmic is great considering the space considerations. Their show is excellent. The problem remains that because of the space issue, everything around there grinds to just above a standstill. I haven't watched Studios Fantasmic recently, but the space consideration alone is such a big deal in this one instance. Disneyland can't suddenly find a better area for this, it's a headache they have to live with. But it is frustrating how it controls that region of the park by New Orleans Square.

Now without getting too rung up on space considerations I need to be real clear. Our Pirates of the Carribean ride stinks when put along side the Disneyland version. It is no contest. The outside of the ride is very different at each location, so I'll consider that a wash. Immediately inside the queue goes to WDW, but overall the queue goes to Disneyland. The dine in area there fits in seemlessly and is great. The whole scene starting from the Parott at the enterance and going through past the people quietly eating while drifting past some old boats and a house is so much better a start to the boat ride. From there it just continues to rule the roost.

Now the exact opposite in my opinion is the Haunted Mansion. WDW wins this going away. With the lone exception for Dland being that you can walk up the fron walkway of the house and through the front door, WDW owns this ride. With the new queue at WDW it's hard to even let that bother you (although I don't love everything about the new queue, but overall find it improved).

I'll filter more in later, but Haunted Mansion and Pirates are my first thoughts beyond Star Tours.

Next- Small World

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The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be ...unnatural.

The whole of Tomorrowland in DL is problematic. It used to be fine, if a little tired, until Paul Pressler and his loathsome minions got their hands on it and tried to remake it as much like a mini-mall as they could.

The traffic around Fantasmic is awful, yes, but I actually prefer the viewing 100x over WDW. Not only do I think the show is overall stronger, but having it take place in such an organic location gives it extra impact as it happens all around the guests. Plus I think it's easier to just walk up at the last second and get a spot if you know the less-popular areas.

I do like the queue for Pirates better in WDW, with the chess-playing skeletons, but I agree that the rest of the ride is better at DL. I liked it better before the Depp makeover, but as far as I know, it's only Alice Davis and myself that think that.

I know lots of people like the WDW HM better--I'm not huge on the new queue so it's more even for me. I like the blinking wallpaper, but then for some reason it seems much more natural to walk past the changing portraits than ride by in the doombuggy. I'm also reserving judgment on the new hitchhiking ghost effects at the end of WDW, so for now I'm still voting for DL on this one.

The one knock I have on WDW's Star Tours is the transition from the forest moon of Endor to the soundstage. It's jarring because one moment I think I'm on the forest moon of Endor and the next I'm in a soundstage. I understand what they're trying to go for, but for me it takes me out of the spaceport and onto a ride.

On a side note, I believe the chess playing skeletons are inside the actual ride at Disneyland. I think I saw that on my 4th of July visit. For me, I think the 2 Haunted Mansions are similar. I love the staircase effect at the MK. Maybe a slight edge to WDW, but POTC is another matter altogether. On my last visit I waited 5 minutes to ride it and that was too long. Maybe I'd like WDW's POTC better if I hadn't experienced Disneyland's first, but it's not close.